Systems for generating, customizing, and automatedly e-mailing a request for quotation for fabricating a computer-modeled structure from within a CAD program

ABSTRACT

In an exemplary embodiment, software made in accordance with the present invention generates a request for quote (RFQ) based on user-provided information, presents a user interface allowing a user to customize the RFQ, generates an e-mail including the RFQ, and sends the e-mail to one or more suppliers. Various corresponding and related systems, methods, and software are described.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional applicationSer. No. 15/073,553, filed on Mar. 17, 2016 and entitled “SYSTEMS,METHODS, AND SOFTWARE FOR GENERATING, CUSTOMIZING, AND AUTOMATEDLYE-MAILING A REQUEST FOR QUOTATION FOR FABRICATING A COMPUTER-MODELEDSTRUCTURE FROM WITHIN A CAD PROGRAM,” which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety and claims the benefit of priority of U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/134,357, filed on Mar. 17,2015, and titled “SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND SOFTWARE FOR GENERATING,CUSTOMIZING, AND AUTOMATEDLY E-MAILING A REQUEST FOR QUOTATION FORFABRICATING A COMPUTER-MODELED STRUCTURE FROM WITHIN A CAD PROGRAM,”which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of computer-aideddesign. In particular, the present invention is directed to systems,methods, and software for generating, customizing, and automatedlye-mailing a request for quotation for fabricating a computer-modeledstructure from within a CAD program.

BACKGROUND

Presently, CAD (computer-aided design) programs allow designers tocreate computer models of products to be manufactured. After a design iscomplete, the designer typically then seeks out one or more suppliers(i.e., parts suppliers, fabricators, manufacturers, etc.), to which theymay send a request for quotation (hereinafter “RFQ”) in order to obtaina price associated with fabricating the designed structure. Typically,the designer manually drafts the RFQ and sends it to one or moresuppliers; however, such manually drafted RFQs often are unclear and/orlacking information that one or more of the suppliers may require toproduce an accurate price quote. When a designer sends unclear and/orincomplete RFQs to a supplier, the supplier typically has to contact thedesigner in order to obtain additional information to fill in the gapsin the RFQ. If the supplier opts not to contact the designer and insteadresponds to the RFQ with a quote based on their understanding of theRFQ, making assumptions where necessary, the quote may not be accurateand/or the designer may be displeased with the quoted price. In general,when a designer sends an unclear and/or incomplete RFQ to a supplier, atleast one of the designer and supplier end up having to waste timeand/or money to rectify the situation.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In an aspect, a system for assisting a user in generating a request forquotation (RFQ) for fabrication of a structure represented in athree-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) model from within aCAD program includes a computing device configured to receive, from asupplier database, information identifying one or more suppliers andinformation identifying a respective e-mail address associated with eachof the one or more suppliers, receive, via graphical user interface(GUI) displaying a model of a structure, a selection from a user of aninitiate-RFQ control as an interaction with the GUI, in response to theselection, displaying to the user an RFQ-e-mail graphical user interface(GUI) and retrieving a design document associated with the 3D model ofthe structure, wherein the RFQ-e-mail GUI presents the user with a setof RFQ options, information from the design document, and a selectablelist of the one or more suppliers, receiving via the RFQ-e-mail GUI oneor more selections of RFQ options within the set as interactions withthe RFQ-e-mail GUI and one or more selections of suppliers from theselectable list as interactions with the RFQ e-mail GUI, and generating,via the 3D CAD program, an RFQ e-mail as a function of the one or moreuser selections of RFQ options and the one or more selections ofsuppliers, wherein the RFQ e-mail is automatedly addressed to two ormore respective email addresses each associated with a selectedsupplier.

In another aspect a system for assisting a user in generating a requestfor quotation (RFQ) for fabrication of a structure represented in acomputer-aided design (CAD) model from within a CAD program, the systemincluding a computing device configured to receive from the user aselection of an initiate-RFQ control, in response to the selection,display to the user an RFQ-e-mail graphical user interface (GUI),wherein the RFQ-e-mail GUI presents the user with a set of RFQ options,receive from the user via the RFQ-e-mail GUI one or more selections ofRFQ options within the set, and generate an RFQ e-mail as a function ofthe one or more user selections of RFQ options.

These and other aspects and features of non-limiting embodiments of thepresent invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art uponreview of the following description of specific non-limiting embodimentsof the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show aspectsof one or more embodiments of the invention. However, it should beunderstood that the present invention is not limited to the precisearrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system for generating,customizing, and automatedly e-mailing an RFQ for fabricating acomputer-modeled structure from within a CAD program;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method for generating, customizing, andautomatedly e-mailing an RFQ for fabricating a computer-modeledstructure from within a CAD program;

FIG. 3 is a representational screenshot of an RFQ e-mail interface forenabling a user to customize an RFQ e-mail;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method for receiving user customizationsof an RFQ e-mail;

FIG. 5 is a representational screenshot of an RFQ e-mail generated inaccordance with aspects of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a computing system that can be used toimplement any one or more of the methodologies disclosed herein and anyone or more portions thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the present invention include systems, methods, and softwarefor generating, customizing, and automatedly e-mailing a RFQ forfabricating a computer-modeled structure from within a CAD program.Herein, a request for quote (RFQ) may be any request for pricing or costsuch as a bid, estimate, firm fixed quote or ballpark number, and astructure may be an object or part having a particular geometry, while acomputer model may be a virtual representation of a structure and may becreated using appropriate CAD programs. Examples of structures include apiece of sheet metal, a solid cube, a cylindrical pipe, an injectionmolded plastic toy, an article of apparel such as a shirt made ofcotton, and an assembly of various parts such as a vehicle, amongothers. In some embodiments, software made in accordance with thepresent invention generates an RFQ based on user-provided information,presents a user interface allowing a user to customize the RFQ,generates an e-mail including the RFQ, and sends the e-mail to one ormore suppliers. One or more aspects of the present invention can beimplemented in any of a wide variety of manners, such as within a singlecomputing device or by two or more networked computing devices, amongothers. In some embodiments, functionalities of the system may beintegrated into computer modeling programs directly via add-on software.

As would be apparent to one reasonably skilled in the art, the inventionmay be applied to other manufacturing types, including but not limitedto the manufacture of apparel. Both sheet metal and apparel designersuse CAD systems to design their products, using sheets of flat, materialfor manufacture. Design data, such as material choice, precisedimensions, or locations of additional features may be embedded withinthe digital design. Designers may choose different metals or fabrics(including non-woven materials such as leather) depending on thestrength and other inherent properties of the material, which affectswhat manufacturing methods may be necessary to work the material.Purchased components (in some cases, identical purchased components) maybe added to the design. CAD programs may be used to visualize the shapeof the finished product. In both sheet metal and apparel manufacturingthe sheet (metal or fabric) may be cut or stamped by a variety ofmethods using computerized machines. Units are moved from station tostation during manufacture. Where sheet metal is connected by rivets orwelding, sheet fabric is connected by stitching or gluing. Surfacefinishes may be applied to both; both may be painted, silk-screened, orotherwise covered with a protective substance.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary RFQ e-mailsystem 100 made in accordance with the present invention. In thisexample, RFQ e-mail system 100 includes CAD model data storage 104,which may store information associated with one or more CAD models, suchas CAD model 104A. CAD model data storage 104 may comprise one or moredatabases and may include and/or be implemented in or as a server, ahard drive, a CD, a flash drive, cloud storage, or any other type ofdata storage. System 100 may further include software 108, which mayprovide a virtual platform for running various programs and algorithmsthat may be included in the system. Software 108 may include, forexample, one or more operating system, one or more website, one or morevirtual machine, and one or more CAD program, such as CAD program 112,among others. It is noted that although FIG. 1 depicts CAD model datastorage 104 as being separate from software 108 and CAD program 112 forthe purposes of this example, it will be appreciated that, in someembodiments, the software and/or CAD program may contain the CAD modeldata storage.

CAD program 112 may allow a user to design and/or edit computer-modeledstructures, which may be imported from another location and may bedesigned using another CAD program. CAD program 112 may include a numberof subcomponents, such as CAD graphical user interface (GUI) 116, whichmay enable interaction between a user and software 108 and/or CADprogram 112. Software 108 and/or CAD program 112 may cause GUI 116 toappear on a computer monitor, for example, and the GUI may present auser with a virtual representation of one or more CAD model, such as CADmodel representation 116A. CAD model representation 116A may be derivedfrom one or more CAD model, such as CAD model 104A, which may be storedin CAD model data storage 104, for example, and may specify desiredshapes, properties, and/or other aspects of a structure that a user mayrequest a supplier (or manufacturer) to fabricate in accordance withsuch information. In order to facilitate user interaction with CAD GUI116, the CAD GUI may also include a cursor 116B that a user can utilizeto manipulate one or more aspects of the GUI through, for example, amouse or other pointing device. CAD GUI 116 may further present a userwith an RFQ GUI initiation button 116C in the form of, for example, asoft selection button. A user may utilize RFQ GUI initiation button 116Cby, for example, clicking it with a mouse via cursor 116B or otherwiseselecting it in order to initiate RFQ e-mail functionality of system100, which may include an RFQ e-mail GUI 120.

One or more of software 108 and CAD program 112 may present RFQ e-mailGUI 120 to a user such that they may select one or more suppliers and/ormanufacturing specifications to associate with an RFQ. RFQ e-mail GUI120 may be implemented in the form of, for example, a pop-up window, aseries of text entry fields, drop-down menus, radio buttons, checkboxes, and/or any other suitable interface for allowing a user to selectand/or otherwise specify one or more suppliers and/or manufacturingspecifications to associate with an RFQ. At least one of software 108,CAD program 112, CAD GUI 116, and RFQ e-mail GUI 120 may include ane-mail template 124, which the software and/or CAD program may utilizeto generate portions of an RFQ e-mail 128 in order to communicate one ormore user-provided manufacturing specifications to one or moreuser-specified suppliers, such as supplier 132. E-mail template 124 mayinclude one or more strings of text that software 108 and/or CAD program112 may augment based on one or more pieces of user-suppliedinformation.

In one embodiment, e-mail template 124 may include one or more “blanks”or placeholders that software 108 and/or CAD program 112 may automatedlypopulate with one or more pieces of user-supplied information. Forexample, e-mail template 124 may contain a string of text such as “Thisorder requires <Quantity> parts to be made” and software 108 and/or CADprogram 112 may populate the placeholder “<Quantity>” with a value basedon one or more user-provided manufacturing specifications. Bymanipulating RFQ e-mail GUI 120, a user may cause software 108 and/orCAD program 112 to automatedly generate RFQ e-mail 128 based at leastpartially on e-mail template 124. RFQ e-mail 128 may include varioususer-provided manufacturing specifications and one or more attached CADmodel information files, which may include CAD models such as CAD model104A. It is noted that although FIG. 1 depicts RFQ e-mail 128 as beingincluded within software 108 in this example, it will be appreciatedthat, in some embodiments, the RFQ e-mail may be included in CAD program112 or in any other location provided that it can be generated as afunction of user manipulation of RFQ e-mail GUI 120.

In order to facilitate generation of RFQ e-mail 128, software 108 and/orCAD program 112 may draw information from one or more sources, such asan optional design document 136 or CAD model 104A, which the softwareand/or CAD program may include or generate. Design document 136 maycomprise one or more CAD models, such as CAD model 104A, and may containa record of various geometric and/or feature data associated with one ormore CAD models. Design document 136 may be, for example, a CAD file orother document specifying or otherwise including information regardingone or more CAD models or designs, such as CAD model 104A. A user mayoptionally cause CAD program 112 to generate design document 136 by, forexample, manipulating one or more aspects of CAD GUI 116. Software 108and/or CAD program may draw additional information from a supplierdatabase 140, which may store information associated with varioussuppliers associated with system 100. Such information may include, forexample, a list of suppliers and corresponding e-mail addresses,supplier ratings and capabilities, and/or other supplier-relatedinformation. Like CAD model storage 104, supplier database 140 maycomprise one or more databases and may include and/or be implemented inor as a server, a hard drive, a CD, a flash drive, cloud storage, or anyother type of data storage. It is noted that although FIG. 1 depictssupplier database 140 as being separate from software 108 and CADprogram 112 for the purposes of this example, it will be appreciatedthat, in some embodiments, the software and/or CAD program may containthe supplier database. In some embodiments, software 108 and/or CADprogram 112 may, either automatically and/or automatedly as a functionof a user request, derive information associated with one or moresuppliers from various sources, such as independent websites ordatabases (not shown), among others, and store the information insupplier database 140 in association with the corresponding suppliers.

In this example, system 100 further provides a number of data links toenable data communication between various portions thereof. System 100may implement these links in the form of, for example, an Internetconnection, a local network connection, and/or any other connectionbetween electronic devices or portions of one or more devices. Forexample, system 100 provides a model data link 144, which, in thisembodiment, enables communication between CAD model data storage 104 andsoftware 108. For example, software 108 may retrieve and/or receive CADmodel information, such as CAD model 104A, from CAD model data storage104 via model data link 144. Further, software 108 and/or CAD program112 may enable a user to save new or updated information to CAD modeldata storage 104 when, for example, the user makes changes to CAD modeldata drawn from the CAD model data storage via CAD program 112; thesoftware and/or CAD program may automate this process and may performthe process either continuously or on a timed schedule as a function ofuser preferences (not shown) set in the software and/or the CAD program.Similarly, when, for example, a user is using CAD program 112 to workwith CAD model data drawn from information in CAD model data storage 104and the information in the CAD model data storage changes due to, forexample, another user's modifications, software 108 and/or CAD program112 may allow the user to load the updated information and, based on theupdated information, update the CAD model data the user is working withaccordingly; the software and/or CAD program may also automate thisprocess and may perform the process either continuously or on a timedschedule as a function of user preferences (not shown) set in thesoftware and/or the CAD program.

System 100 may further provide a basic data link 148, which may enablecommunication/updates between CAD GUI 116 and optional design document136, or directly between CAD GUI 116 and RFQ E-mail GUI 120. Forexample, CAD program 112 may utilize basic data link 148 in order tocreate or update design document 136 as a function of user manipulationof CAD GUI 116; the CAD program may automate this process and mayperform the process either continuously or on a timed schedule as afunction of user preferences (not shown) set in the CAD program. System100 may also provide a supplier data link 152, which may enablecommunication/updates between supplier database 140 and CAD program 112.For example, CAD program 112 may retrieve/receive a list of suppliersand associated e-mail addresses from supplier database 140 such that RFQe-mail GUI 120 may present them to a user; the CAD program and/orsupplier database may automate this process and may perform the processeither continuously or on a timed schedule as a function of userpreferences (not shown) set in the CAD program and/or software 108.

System 100 may additionally provide a design document data link 156,which may enable communication/updates between RFQ e-mail GUI 120 andoptional design document 136. For example, CAD program 112 may utilizedesign document data link 156 to create or update the display of RFQe-mail GUI 120; the CAD program may automate this process and mayperform the process either continuously or on a timed schedule as afunction of user preferences (not shown) set in the CAD program. System100 may also provide an e-mail creation data link 160, which may enableCAD program 112 to cause software 108 to generate RFQ e-mail. Forexample, CAD program 112 may transmit some or all user-provided data andselections in RFQ e-mail GUI 120 to software 108 to generate RFQ e-mail128. In alternative embodiments, CAD program 112 may generate RFQ e-mail128 internally without utilizing any other aspects of software 108.System 100 may further provide an output e-mail data link 164, which mayenable communication between software 108 and supplier 132. For example,software 108 may utilize output e-mail data link 164 to transmit RFQe-mail 128 one or more user-specified suppliers, such as supplier 132.In alternative embodiments, CAD program 112 may transmit RFQ e-mail 128directly to one or more suppliers without utilizing any other aspects ofsoftware 108.

With reference to FIG. 2 and continued reference to FIG. 1 , a method200 by which one or more of software 108 and CAD program 112 maygenerate, customize, and automatedly e-mail an RFQ for fabricating acomputer-modeled structure will now be described. At optional step 202,a CAD program may be provided, such as CAD program 112, and at optionalstep 205, a CAD model may be provided within a CAD GUI, such as CAD GUI116. For example, a user may design such a CAD model using CAD program112 or import it (e.g., CAD model 104A) from CAD model data storage 104via model data link 144. CAD model 104A may specify a sheet metalstructure, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 1 as CAD modelrepresentation 116A. At optional step 210, CAD program 112 may createdesign document 136, which may include basic CAD model geometry dataand/or feature data, among others, via basic data link 148. In someembodiments, CAD program 112 may not need to create design document 136,such as when the CAD program has previously created the design documentor when CAD model 104A is sent directly without the creation of thedesign document.

At step 215, software 108 and/or CAD program 112 may receive userselection of an initiate-RFQ control, such as RFQ GUI initiation button116C, via CAD GUI 116 through user input such as, for example, using amouse to manipulate cursor 116B. At optional step 220, software 108and/or CAD program 112 may retrieve/receive supplier information fromsupplier database 140 via supplier data link 152 such that RFQ e-mailGUI 120 may present the supplier information to a user. In someembodiments, CAD program 112 may not need to retrieve/receive supplierinformation from supplier database 140, such as when the CAD program haspreviously retrieved/received such information.

At optional step 225, CAD program 112 may retrieve information fromdesign document 136 for display in RFQ e-mail GUI 120 and/or inclusionin RFQ e-mail 128 via design document data link 156. At step 230,software 108 and/or CAD program 112 may display or otherwise present RFQe-mail GUI 120 to a user. RFQ e-mail GUI 120 may present a list ofuser-selectable suppliers and common manufacturing specifications to theuser such that they can customize the recipients and other details ofRFQ e-mail 128. As may be apparent to one skilled in the art, it is notnecessary to present a GUI specifically for E-mails. Alternatively, astandard GUI or other interactive element may be used. At step 235, CADprogram 112 may receive user selections made through RFQ e-mail GUI 120.At step 240, CAD program 112 and/or software 108 may generate RFQ e-mail128 via e-mail creation data link 160 such that it may be sent to one ormore e-mail addresses of one or more user-selected suppliers, such assupplier 132. In some embodiments, CAD program 112 and/or software 108may automatedly attach one or more appropriate design documents or CADmodels, such as design document 136 or CAD model 104A, to RFQ e-mail128.

At optional step 245, CAD program 112 may display a preview of RFQe-mail 128 to the user in RFQ e-mail GUI 120 such that the user may editthe e-mail. In one embodiment, the preview of RFQ e-mail 128 may includeuser-modifiable fields for e-mail addresses, attachments, and text. Atstep 250, after the user indicates that RFQ e-mail 128 is ready fortransmittal to one or more selected suppliers, CAD program 112 and/orsoftware 108 may send the RFQ e-mail to the one or more suppliers, suchas supplier 132, via output e-mail data link 164.

FIG. 3 illustrates a screenshot depicting exemplary aspects of RFQe-mail GUI 120 as a user may see it during operation of system 100, suchas during steps 230 and 235 of method 200. In this example, RFQ e-mailGUI 120 includes a supplier selection panel 300 that a user maymanipulate to select one or more suppliers to which they desire to sendRFQ e-mail 128. RFQ e-mail GUI 120 may implement supplier selectionpanel 300 as, for example, a software window containing a list ofsuppliers and a series of associated checkboxes the user can select. RFQe-mail GUI 120 may further include a manufacturing specifications panel304 that a user may manipulate to select and/or provide variousmanufacturing specifications they desire to include in RFQ e-mail 128.RFQ e-mail GUI 120 may implement manufacturing specifications panel 304as, for example, a software window containing text entry fields anddrop-down menus, among others, allowing the user to provide informationsuch as a quantity to be fabricated, a lead-time, a need date, one ormore finishing type, and one or more material to be used in fabrication.It is emphasized that the panels and fields described here and shown inFIG. 3 are merely exemplary; it will be readily apparent to one ofordinary skill in the art after reading this disclosure in its entiretythat innumerable combinations and permutations of similar panels and/orfields may be used to implement RFQ e-mail GUI 120, as desired and/orrequired for particular applications.

RFQ e-mail GUI 120 may further include a representation 308 of anattached file, which may include a text area displaying the file nameand/or file type of the attached document. The attached file may includesome or all of the information contained in one or more CAD modelsand/or design documents, such as CAD model 104A and/or design document136. In some embodiments, software 104 and/or CAD program 108 mayautomatedly load appropriate design documents and/or other files and maydisplay information identifying them via representation 308, while inother embodiments the software and/or CAD program may wait for userselection of representation 308 (which may, in this case, be a blankbox, button, or other similar user interface element prior to a userselecting it) to automatedly load appropriate files. Software 104 and/orCAD program 108 may perform such automated loading of appropriate filesby, for example, analyzing one or more of a user command and/or usagehistory, one or more loaded and/or displayed CAD models, and recent userselections in order to identify files related to the design on which theuser is currently working. In some embodiments, the user may selectrepresentation 308 of the attached file to select different and/oradditional design documents or other files to attach to RFQ e-mail 128;software 108 and/or CAD program 112 may present the user withappropriate dialogs/prompts via, for example, CAD GUI 116, in order tofacilitate such selections.

RFQ e-mail GUI 120 may additionally include a cursor 312 that a user canutilize to manipulate one or more aspects of GUI 120 through, forexample, a mouse or other pointing device. In some embodiments, cursor312 may be the same cursor as cursor 116B, while in other embodimentsRFQ e-mail GUI 120 may implement cursor 312 independently from cursor116B.

In order to allow a user to accept or cancel the selections/inputsprovided in RFQ e-mail GUI 120, the RFQ e-mail GUI may provide a“cancel” button 316 and a “confirm” button 320 in the form of, forexample, soft-selection buttons. In one embodiment, user selection of“cancel” button 316 may cause RFQ e-mail GUI 120 to exit/cease todisplay without saving the user's selections/inputs, while userselection of “confirm” button 320 may cause CAD program 112 and/orsoftware 108 to exit/cease to display the RFQ e-mail GUI, to store theuser's selections/inputs, and/or to generate RFQ e-mail 128 based on theuser's selections/inputs and/or e-mail template 124.

With reference to FIG. 4 and continued reference to FIGS. 1-3 , a method400 by which one or more of software 108 and CAD program 112 may receivea user's selection of RFQ options will now be described. In someembodiments, step 235 of method 200 may include method 400. At step 405,software 108 and/or CAD program 112 may receive user selection of one ormore output suppliers, such as one or more of the suppliers displayed insupplier selection panel 300, via, for example, user selection ofcheckboxes within the supplier selection panel via cursor 312. At step410, software 108 and/or CAD program 112 may receive userselection/input of manufacturing specifications, such as one or more ofthe manufacturing specifications listed in manufacturing specificationspanel 304, via, for example, user selection/input within themanufacturing specifications panel via cursor 312 and/or one or moreother data entry devices, such as a keyboard (not shown). At step 415,software 108 and/or CAD program 112 may receive user selection/input of“confirm” button 320 or “cancel” button 316 via, for example, userselection within the manufacturing specifications panel via cursor 312.

FIG. 5 illustrates a screenshot depicting exemplary aspects of RFQe-mail 128 as a user may see it in an e-mail viewer during operation ofsystem 100, such as, for example, at step 245 of method 200. In thisexample, RFQ e-mail 128 includes a “to” field 504, which may provide auser-editable text entry field that software 104 and/or CAD program 108may automatedly populate with one or more e-mail addresses of one ormore user-selected suppliers, such as suppliers selected within supplierselection panel 300. In an alternative embodiment, the “to” field mayinclude the e-mail of the user, while the e-mail addresses of one ormore user-selected suppliers may be found in another field such as ablind carbon copy (“BCC”) field that will cause the e-mail to be sent toeach supplier but will not allow the suppliers to view the othersuppliers that have been contacted. RFQ e-mail 128 may further include a“from” field 508, which may provide a user-editable text entry fieldthat software 104 and/or CAD program 108 may automatedly populate withthe user's e-mail address or any other e-mail address(es) the userspecified in software and/or CAD program settings (not shown). RFQe-mail 128 may also include a representation 512 of an attachment, whichmay include a text area displaying the file name and/or file type of theattached document. In some embodiments, as with representation 308 ofFIG. 3 , software 104 and/or CAD program 108 may automatedly loadappropriate design documents and/or other documents such as CAD model104A and may display information identifying them via representation512, while in other embodiments the software and/or CAD program may waitfor user selection of representation 512 (which may, in this case, be ablank box, button, or other similar user interface element prior to auser selecting it) to automatedly load appropriate design documents orCAD models. Software 104 and/or CAD program 108 may perform suchautomated loading of appropriate documents by, for example, analyzingone or more of a user command and/or usage history, one or more loadedand/or displayed CAD models, and recent user selections in order toidentify documents related to the design on which the user is currentlyworking. In some embodiments, the user may select representation 512 ofthe attached document to select different and/or additional designdocuments or other documents such as CAD models to attach to RFQ e-mail128; software 108 and/or CAD program 112 may present the user withappropriate dialogs/prompts via, for example, CAD GUI 116, in order tofacilitate such selections. RFQ e-mail 128 may further include a contentwindow 516, which may be a user-editable text entry window allowing auser to type and edit text in order to compose a message to be sent tosuppliers.

In some embodiments, software 104 and/or CAD program 112 may automatedlypopulate content window 516 based on e-mail template 124. As discussedabove, e-mail template 124 may include one or more strings of text thatsoftware 108 and/or CAD program 112 may augment based on one or morepieces of user-supplied information. In this example, e-mail template124 also includes multiple “blanks” or placeholders (indicated asunderlined terms, each surrounded by a less-than sign and a greater-thansign), such as manufacturing specification placeholders 524A-D, thatsoftware 108 and/or CAD program 112 may automatedly populate withuser-supplied information, such as information the user provided to RFQe-mail GUI 120. In this example, based on user input in RFQ e-mail GUI120 as shown in FIG. 3 , software 108 and/or CAD program 112 may, forexample, populate the “<Manufacturer Name(s)>” field with “Supplier Aand Supplier B” and the “<Quantity>” field with 100. In alternativeembodiments, software 108 and/or CAD program 112 may generate a separatee-mail for each user-selected supplier. RFQ e-mail 128 may furtherinclude a “cancel” button 528 and a “send” button 532 in the form of,for example, soft-selection buttons. In one embodiment, user selectionof “cancel” button 528 may cause RFQ e-mail 128 to exit/cease to displaywithout saving the user's selections/inputs, while user selection of“send” button 532 may cause CAD program 112 and/or software 108 toexit/cease to display the RFQ e-mail, to store the user'sselections/inputs, and/or to send RFQ e-mail 128 to one or moreuser-selected/provided suppliers, such as supplier 132. It is emphasizedthat the description and depictions of e-mail template 124 and RFQe-mail 128 provided here and in FIG. 5 are merely exemplary; it will bereadily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading thisdisclosure in its entirety that many appropriate modifications may bemade to the e-mail template 124 and/or RFQ e-mail, as desired and/orrequired for particular applications. For example, more placeholders maybe utilized, text may be modified and/or rearranged, and/or a user maybe required to manually enter a portion of the RFQ e-mail, such as, forexample, the “<Manufacturer Name(s)>” field and/or the “<Designer Name>”field, among others.

It is to be noted that any one or more of the aspects and embodimentsdescribed herein may be conveniently implemented using one or moremachines (e.g., one or more computing devices that are utilized as auser computing device for an electronic document, one or more serverdevices, such as a document server, etc.) programmed according to theteachings of the present specification, as will be apparent to those ofordinary skill in the computer art. Appropriate software coding canreadily be prepared by skilled programmers based on the teachings of thepresent disclosure, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill inthe software art. Aspects and implementations discussed above employingsoftware and/or software modules may also include appropriate hardwarefor assisting in the implementation of the machine executableinstructions of the software and/or software module.

Such software may be a computer program product that employs amachine-readable storage medium. A machine-readable storage medium maybe any medium that is capable of storing and/or encoding a sequence ofinstructions for execution by a machine (e.g., a computing device) andthat causes the machine to perform any one of the methodologies and/orembodiments described herein. Examples of a machine-readable storagemedium include, but are not limited to, a magnetic disk, an optical disc(e.g., CD, CD-R, DVD, DVD-R, etc.), a magneto-optical disk, a read-onlymemory “ROM” device, a random-access memory “RAM” device, a magneticcard, an optical card, a solid-state memory device, an EPROM, an EEPROM,and any combinations thereof. A machine-readable medium, as used herein,is intended to include a single medium as well as a collection ofphysically separate media, such as, for example, a collection of compactdiscs or one or more hard disk drives in combination with a computermemory. As used herein, a machine-readable storage medium does notinclude transitory forms of signal transmission.

Such software may also include information (e.g., data) carried as adata signal on a data carrier, such as a carrier wave. For example,machine-executable information may be included as a data-carrying signalembodied in a data carrier in which the signal encodes a sequence ofinstruction, or portion thereof, for execution by a machine (e.g., acomputing device) and any related information (e.g., data structures anddata) that causes the machine to perform any one of the methodologiesand/or embodiments described herein.

Examples of a computing device include, but are not limited to, anelectronic book reading device, a computer workstation, a terminalcomputer, a server computer, a handheld device (e.g., a tablet computer,a smartphone, etc.), a web appliance, a network router, a networkswitch, a network bridge, any machine capable of executing a sequence ofinstructions that specify an action to be taken by that machine, and anycombinations thereof. In one example, a computing device may includeand/or be included in a kiosk.

FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of acomputing device in the exemplary form of a computer system 600 withinwhich a set of instructions for causing a control system, such as theRFQ e-mail system 100 of FIG. 1 , to perform any one or more of theaspects and/or methodologies of the present disclosure may be executed.It is also contemplated that multiple computing devices may be utilizedto implement a specially configured set of instructions for causing oneor more of the devices to perform any one or more of the aspects and/ormethodologies of the present disclosure. Computer system 600 includes aprocessor 604 and a memory 608 that communicate with each other, andwith other components, via a bus 612. Bus 612 may include any of severaltypes of bus structures including, but not limited to, a memory bus, amemory controller, a peripheral bus, a local bus, and any combinationsthereof, using any of a variety of bus architectures.

Memory 608 may include various components (e.g., machine readable media)including, but not limited to, a random-access memory component, a readonly component, and any combinations thereof. In one example, a basicinput/output system 616 (BIOS), including basic routines that help totransfer information between elements within computer system 600, suchas during start-up, may be stored in memory 608. Memory 608 may alsoinclude (e.g., stored on one or more machine-readable media)instructions (e.g., software) 620 embodying any one or more of theaspects and/or methodologies of the present disclosure. In anotherexample, memory 608 may further include any number of program modulesincluding, but not limited to, an operating system, one or moreapplication programs, other program modules, program data, and anycombinations thereof.

Computer system 600 may also include a storage device 624. Examples of astorage device (e.g., storage device 624) include, but are not limitedto, a hard disk drive, a magnetic disk drive, an optical disc drive incombination with an optical medium, a solid-state memory device, and anycombinations thereof. Storage device 624 may be connected to bus 612 byan appropriate interface (not shown). Example interfaces include, butare not limited to, SCSI, advanced technology attachment (ATA), serialATA, universal serial bus (USB), IEEE 1394 (FIREWIRE), and anycombinations thereof. In one example, storage device 624 (or one or morecomponents thereof) may be removably interfaced with computer system 600(e.g., via an external port connector (not shown)). Particularly,storage device 624 and an associated machine-readable medium 628 mayprovide nonvolatile and/or volatile storage of machine-readableinstructions, data structures, program modules, and/or other data forcomputer system 600. In one example, software 620 may reside, completelyor partially, within machine-readable medium 628. In another example,software 620 may reside, completely or partially, within processor 604.

Computer system 600 may also include an input device 632. In oneexample, a user of computer system 600 may enter commands and/or otherinformation into computer system 600 via input device 632. Examples ofan input device 632 include, but are not limited to, an alpha-numericinput device (e.g., a keyboard), a pointing device, a joystick, agamepad, an audio input device (e.g., a microphone, a voice responsesystem, etc.), a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), a touchpad, anoptical scanner, a video capture device (e.g., a still camera, a videocamera), a touchscreen, and any combinations thereof. Input device 632may be interfaced to bus 612 via any of a variety of interfaces (notshown) including, but not limited to, a serial interface, a parallelinterface, a game port, a USB interface, a FIREWIRE interface, a directinterface to bus 612, and any combinations thereof. Input device 632 mayinclude a touch screen interface that may be a part of or separate fromdisplay 636, discussed further below. Input device 632 may be utilizedas a user selection device for selecting one or more graphicalrepresentations in a graphical interface as described above.

A user may also input commands and/or other information to computersystem 600 via storage device 624 (e.g., a removable disk drive, a flashdrive, etc.) and/or network interface device 640. A network interfacedevice, such as network interface device 640, may be utilized forconnecting computer system 600 to one or more of a variety of networks,such as network 644, and one or more remote devices 648 connectedthereto. Examples of a network interface device include, but are notlimited to, a network interface card (e.g., a mobile network interfacecard, a LAN card), a modem, and any combination thereof. Examples of anetwork include, but are not limited to, a wide area network (e.g., theInternet, an enterprise network), a local area network (e.g., a networkassociated with an office, a building, a campus or other relativelysmall geographic space), a telephone network, a data network associatedwith a telephone/voice provider (e.g., a mobile communications providerdata and/or voice network), a direct connection between two computingdevices, and any combinations thereof. A network, such as network 644,may employ a wired and/or a wireless mode of communication. In general,any network topology may be used. Information (e.g., data, software 620,etc.) may be communicated to and/or from computer system 600 via networkinterface device 640.

Computer system 600 may further include a video display adapter 652 forcommunicating a displayable image to a display device, such as displaydevice 636. Examples of a display device include, but are not limitedto, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT), a plasmadisplay, a light emitting diode (LED) display, and any combinationsthereof. Display adapter 652 and display device 636 may be utilized incombination with processor 604 to provide graphical representations ofaspects of the present disclosure. In addition to a display device,computer system 600 may include one or more other peripheral outputdevices including, but not limited to, an audio speaker, a printer, andany combinations thereof. Such peripheral output devices may beconnected to bus 612 via a peripheral interface 656. Examples of aperipheral interface include, but are not limited to, a serial port, aUSB connection, a FIREWIRE connection, a parallel connection, and anycombinations thereof.

The foregoing has been a detailed description of illustrativeembodiments of the invention. Various modifications and additions can bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.Features of each of the various embodiments described above may becombined with features of other described embodiments as appropriate inorder to provide a multiplicity of feature combinations in associatednew embodiments. Furthermore, while the foregoing describes a number ofseparate embodiments, what has been described herein is merelyillustrative of the application of the principles of the presentinvention. Additionally, although particular methods herein may beillustrated and/or described as being performed in a specific order, theordering is highly variable within ordinary skill to achieve methods,systems, and software according to the present disclosure. Accordingly,this description is meant to be taken only by way of example, and not tootherwise limit the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for assisting a user in generating arequest for quotation (RFQ) for fabrication of a structure representedin a three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) model fromwithin a CAD program, the system comprising a computing deviceconfigured to: receive, from a supplier database, informationidentifying one or more suppliers and information identifying arespective e-mail address associated with each of the one or moresuppliers; receive, via a graphical user interface (GUI) displaying the3D CAD model of the structure, a selection from a user of aninitiate-RFQ control as an interaction with the GUI; in response to theselection, displaying to the user an RFQ-e-mail graphical user interface(GUI) and retrieving a design document associated with the 3D CAD modelof the structure, wherein the RFQ-e-mail GUI presents the user with aset of RFQ options, information from the design document, and aselectable list of the one or more suppliers; receiving via theRFQ-e-mail GUI one or more selections of RFQ options within the set asinteractions with the RFQ-e-mail GUI and one or more selections ofsuppliers from the selectable list as interactions with the RFQ-e-mailGUI; and generating, via the 3D CAD program, an RFQ e-mail as a functionof the one or more user selections of RFQ options and the one or moreselections of suppliers, wherein the RFQ e-mail is automatedly addressedto two or more respective email addresses each associated with aselected supplier.
 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein saidinitiate-RFQ control is present within a CAD GUI.
 3. The systemaccording to claim 2, wherein the design document contains data from the3D CAD model of the structure.
 4. The system according to claim 1,further comprising, as a function of the selection of the initiate-RFQcontrol, automatedly attaching a design document to the RFQ e-mail. 5.The system according to claim 1, further comprising, as a function ofthe selection of the initiate-RFQ control, automatedly attaching the 3DCAD model to the RFQ e-mail.
 6. The system according to claim 5, whereinthe design document contains data from the 3D CAD model of thestructure.
 7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the computingdevice is further configured to: receive from the user a selection ofone or more of a plurality of suppliers from the supplier list; andautomatedly send the RFQ e-mail to the selected one or more of theplurality of suppliers.
 8. The system according to claim 1, furthercomprising: receiving from the user a selection of anattach-design-document control; and in response to the selection of theattach-design-document control, attaching a design document to the RFQe-mail.
 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the set of RFQoptions includes a supplier list and the computing device is furtherconfigured to: receive from the user a selection of a supplier from thesupplier list; and automatedly send the RFQ e-mail to the supplier. 10.The system according to claim 1, wherein the set of RFQ options includesmanufacturing specification options, and the computing device is furtherconfigured to receive from the user a selection of at least one optionfrom the manufacturing specification options.
 11. The system accordingto claim 10, wherein the manufacturing specification options includesfinishing options and the computing device is further configured toreceive from the user a selection of at least one option from thefinishing options.
 12. The system according to claim 10, wherein themanufacturing specification options includes materials options and thecomputing device is further configured to receive from the user aselection of at least one option from the materials options.
 13. Thesystem according to claim 10, wherein the RFQ e-mail includes contentfor display in a content window in an e-mail viewer and the computingdevice is further configured to create at least a portion of the contentby populating a template with the user-selected at least one option fromthe manufacturing specification options.
 14. A system for assisting auser in generating a request for quotation (RFQ) for fabrication of astructure represented in a three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design(CAD) model from within a CAD program, the system including a computingdevice configured to: receive from the user a selection of aninitiate-RFQ control; in response to the selection, display to the userthe 3D CAD model and an RFQ-e-mail graphical user interface (GUI,wherein the RFQ-e-mail GUI presents the user with a set of RFQ options;receive from the user via the RFQ-e-mail GUI one or more selections ofRFQ options within the set as interactions with the RFQ-e-mail GUI andone or more selections of suppliers from the selectable list asinteractions with the RFQ-e-mail GUI, wherein the one or more selectionsinclude a user selection of manufacturing specifications; update the 3DCAD model of the structure one or more based on the user selection ofmanufacturing specifications from the RFQ-e-mail GUI; generate an RFQe-mail as a function of the one or more user selections of RFQ options;provide, as a function of a timed schedule, an output e-mail data linkbetween the RFQ-e-mail GUI and one or more suppliers; and send the RFQe-mail to at least one supplier as a function of the one or more userselections of RFQ options using the output e-mail data link.
 15. Thesystem of claim 14, wherein displaying to the user the RFQ-e-mail GUIfurther comprises retrieving a design document associated with the 3DCAD model of the structure.
 16. The system of claim 14, wherein theRFQ-e-mail GUI presents the user with information from the 3D CAD modeland updates the 3D CAD model in response to the interactions with theRFQ-e-mail GUI.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the RFQ-e-mail GUIpresents the user with a selectable list of the one or more suppliers.18. The system of claim 14, wherein the RFQ e-mail is automatedlyaddressed to two or more respective e-mail addresses each associatedwith a selected supplier.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the two ormore respective e-mail addresses are received from a supplier database.20. The system of claim 19, wherein the computing device is furtherconfigured to receive, from the supplier database, informationidentifying the one or more suppliers.